This Train – Monstertruck (A Love Story)

This Train
Monstertruck (A Love Story)
1994 Etcetera Under•Ground
Aurora, Illinois, USA

Mark Robertson – Vocals, guitars, bass
Jordan Richter – Guitar
Chris Wicklas – Drums
Beki Hemingway – BGV’s, lead vocals on “Dance Along the Edge”

Bill Protine – Additional guitar on “You Never Cease,” “Tell Yourself,” and “Like It or Not”
Eric Olson – Additional guitar on “Like It or Not”

Side 1:

1. You Never Cease
2. The Silence
3. Tell Yourself
4. Like It or Not
5. Dance Along the Edge

Side 2:

1. Monstertruck
2. Every Time (I Promise)
3. Believe It
4. Idle Hands (Broken)
5. The Wailing Wall

This Train became famous (or was it infamous?) in the early to mid 90s for their fun-loving humorous take on alt-rock tinged rockabilly. They often worked with John J. Thompson of True Tunes fame, who helped out with song writing here as well. In fact, this might have been the first release on what would become Thompson’s short-lived Etcetera music label. If some of the song titles sound familiar, that is because they were recorded on other releases. “You Never Cease,” “The Silence,” “Tell Yourself,” “Idle Hands (Broken),” and “The Wailing Wall” from re-recorded from their 1993 demo Irregardless. “The Silence,” “Like It or Not,” and “Monstertruck” were re-recorded for 1995’s You’re Soaking in It on Etcetera Records. “The Wailing Wall” was re-recorded for 1998’s Mimes of the Old West on Organic Records. For those wondering, that leaves “Dance Along the Edge,” “Every Time (I Promise),” and “Believe It only” as the only songs that were only on this tape.